PERA STREET IN THE 20th CENTURY

Pera, the home of a peaceful way of life hundreds of years with its vineyards, fields, and scattered monasteries between them, began to developed in the 17th Century and became a home to a different society in Istanbul.

This period, during which the Ottoman Empire's relations with Europe  intensified, bore witness to an increase in visits from emissaries with large delegations. Elci Inn in the historical peninsula had been reserved for delegation visits. However, the Inn and others like it, which offered examples of traditional Ottoman life, did not meet the requirements of the visitors. The same problem existed in permanent embassies that were surrounded around Galata walls. To meet the increasing needs of the embassies, large areas were allocated to the foreign governments, such as Venice, Holland, England, and Russia, in the area of Pera Baglari, formerly known as the summer resort of Galata.

An embassy meant an advanced social cultural complex, where political, commercial and law activities were conducted. Bourgeoisie mansions surrounded this core, with embassies at the center. Therefore, Pera, which was formerly an area of diplomacy, turned into the commercial center of Istanbul.

As a result of relations between the Ottoman Empire and Europe (reaching its zenith with the declaration of Administrative Reforms of Tanzimat in 1876), a lot of people from countries like France, Italy, and Greece settled down around Pera. They built social structures and firms. These foreigners around Pera were called “Levantines,” meaning people who lived on Ottoman land but were not Muslims. Levantine group formed strong bonds between each other and became very powerful commercially. Pera became a place where tradesmen, bankers, riggers under the protection of Capitulations, and rich people could live in a cosmopolitan area that followed the latest European fashion.

In the last period of 19th Century, Pera transformed into buildings islands, which included homes, entertainment places, and religious institutions side by side. The strange architectural conditions of current Pera began to form in those years. The door of a furniture shop might lead to a theater, or through a church door a person could enter into the staircase which led to an apartment with art nouveau front. At the beginning of 20th Century this caused arcades with shops to form giving Pera a more commercial function.

These arcades with shops, cafes, elegant tailors, and beautiful theaters, which sold European products, became an alternate commercial and social center to the symbolic center the The Ottoman oriental shopping experience; the Grand Bazaar.

The district, from East Passage, which was only a roofless street, to Hacopulo Passage, which connected Grand Rue de Pera (Istiklal Caddesi) to other streets, to Cite de Pera (Chichek Pasaji), which have some of the most marvelous architecture of the period, have all kept their beauty.

In this same period in which Pera became a world market, Yamada offered its Japanese products for sale in the two most important passages of Pera; Hacopulo and Cite de Pera.

Beyoglu is a cultural center reflecting the marks of the past with its business, centers, passages, entertainment places, and diverse architecture. The history of this street, which took its current form in the 20th Century, was created through a melting people, living together for thousands of years, from different cultures and religions.

•  Shotaro Noda and The Jiji Shingo
•  Shotaro Noda in Istanbul
•  Encounter of the two in Istanbul
•  Torajiro Yamada in Istanbul
•  Conclusion

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